JP2021521045A - Unmanned aerial vehicles and related systems and methods for stereoscopic imaging - Google Patents

Abstract

This specification discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that performs stereoscopic imaging, and related systems and methods. A typical system includes a support structure oriented with respect to the aircraft roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis. The system further includes a plurality of propellers held by the support structure and similarly first and second stereo imaging devices held by the support structure. The first stereoscopic image pickup device has a first field of view, the second stereoscopic image pickup device has a second field of view, and at least one of the plurality of propellers has the first and second stereoscopic images. It is arranged in front of the image pickup device and between the first and second stereoscopic image pickup devices. At least one propeller has a rotating disc that does not overlap the first and second fields of view. In a typical configuration, the field of view does not overlap with any other (eg, any other) structure of the UAV. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

Cross-reference to related applications This application claims the priority of US Provisional Application No. 62 / 655,109 pending April 9, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. There is.

The present technology generally relates to unmanned aerial vehicles and related systems and methods for performing stereoscopic imaging.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly popular devices for performing a wide variety of tasks that would otherwise be performed by manned aircraft or satellites. Examples of such work include monitoring work, imaging work, and payload delivery work. However, existing UAVs have some drawbacks. For example, it can be difficult for a UAV to perform tasks related to imaging terrain or structures at resolutions less than a few centimeters. A typical UAV has an imaging camera, but it can be difficult to resolve small areas, especially when reproducing the environment in 3D. Another drawback associated with existing UAVs is that, in many examples, the field of view of the UAV-mounted imaging device overlaps with the volume at which the propeller (which provides lift and thrust) operates. Therefore, the image may include propeller blades or UAV airframes, which may interfere with image processing.

Therefore, there is still a need for methods and related systems that allow UAVs to perform their work in close proximity to elements in the surrounding environment in a safe, accurate and unobtrusive manner.

FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having an imaging device and a propeller arranged according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of typical UAV components placed in a folded configuration according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 is another partial schematic of a UAV with substantially the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 1 according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 is a partial schematic of a UAV having imaging devices arranged behind a plurality of propellers according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 is a partial schematic of a UAV having imaging devices arranged behind a plurality of propellers according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of a UAV having imaging devices arranged behind a plurality of propellers according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 5 is a partial schematic of a UAV having an imaging device support member arranged according to some embodiments of the present technology. It is a partial schematic diagram of a UAV having a hexacopter configuration according to some embodiments of the present technology. FIG. 5 is a partial schematic of a UAV having another hexacopter configuration according to some embodiments of the present technology. It is a partial schematic diagram of a UAV having an octocopter configuration according to a part embodiment of the present technology.

The art generally relates to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of stereoscopic imaging and related systems and methods. For example, in some embodiments, the UAV includes a multicopter configuration with multiple propeller blades and a stereoscopic imaging system located behind at least one of the propellers. Placing the imaging system behind or behind at least one of the propellers can reduce or eliminate the pitching moment caused by the imaging system. A stereoscopic imaging system can include multiple (ie, two or more) imaging devices that are sufficiently spaced apart from each other to provide an accurate stereoscopic image with a resolution of approximately a few millimeters. At the same time, the imaging device can capture the propeller in the resulting image because it can be sufficiently separated from the propeller located in front so that the field of view of the imaging device does not overlap the propeller's operating path. Is avoided.

Specific details of some embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described below with reference to specific typical configurations. The disclosed technology can be implemented according to UAVs with other configurations and related systems. Specific details that describe structures or processes that are well known and often related to UAVs but may unnecessarily obscure some important aspects of the techniques of the present disclosure are for clarity. Will not be explained below. Further, although the following disclosure describes some embodiments of different aspects of the disclosed technology, some embodiments of the technology have components and / or components different from those described in this section. be able to. As such, the present technology may include some embodiments that have additional elements and / or do not have some of the elements described below with reference to FIGS. 1-10. can.

Some embodiments of the disclosed technique can take the form of computer-executable instructions, including routines executed by a programmable computer or control device. One of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the art can be implemented on computers or control systems other than those shown and described below. The present technology may be embodied in a dedicated computer, controller, or data processor specifically programmed, configured, or constructed to execute one or more of the computer executable instructions described below. .. Thus, as commonly used herein, the terms "computer" and "control device" include suitable data processors (in the air and / or on the ground), as well as palmtop computers, wearable computers, portables. Internet devices and handheld devices can be included, including telephone or mobile phones, multiprocessor systems, processor-based programmable home appliances, network computers, laptop computers, minicomputers and the like. The information processed by these computers can be displayed on any suitable display medium, including a liquid crystal display (LCD). As is known in the art, these computers and controls typically include various processors, memory (eg, non-transient computer-readable media), input / output devices, and / or other suitable features. Has.

The technique can also be performed in a distributed environment, where the task or module is performed by a remote processing device linked via a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules or subroutines can be located within local and / or remote storage devices. Aspects of the techniques described below can be stored or distributed on computer-readable media, including magnetic or optical readable or removable computer disks, and electronically distributed over networks. In addition, data structures and data transmissions specific to aspects of the technology are included within the scope of the technology.

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic isometric view of a typical UAV 100 configured according to an embodiment of the present technology. The UAV 100 can include a support structure 110 that holds the propulsion system 140 and the imaging system 120. The imaging system 120 can include a plurality of optical devices, for example, an imaging device, and the propulsion system 140 can include a plurality of propellers, all of which can be controlled by the control device 182. The control device 182 can include an in-flight control module 180 and / or an out-of-flight control module 181. The in-flight control module 180 can operate autonomously and / or with the input provided by the out-of-flight control module 181. In a typical configuration, the UAV 100 includes one or more lighting rods 101, or other devices that help orient the UAV and / or illuminate its environment.

The UAV100 can move with respect to a plurality of axes, including a roll axis RA, a pitch axis PA, and a yaw axis YA. The roll axis RA generally coincides with the forward FD of the UAV 100. The propulsion system 140 can include a plurality of propellers, for example, the first propeller 141, the second propeller 142, the third propeller 143, and the four propellers exemplified in FIG. 1 as the fourth propeller 144. The propeller can be held by the corresponding propeller support member 115. Therefore, the first and second propellers 141 and 142 can be held by the first propeller support member 111, and the third and fourth propellers 143 and 144 are held by the second propeller support member 112. be able to. The propeller support members 111 and 112 can be oriented across each other, for example, in an "X" configuration (non-orthogonal) or in a "cross" configuration (orthogonal) as shown in FIG. By selectively adjusting the propeller rotation speed (and optionally the blade pitch angle), the UAV can move along any of the pitch, roll, and yaw axes and / or any of them. Can rotate with respect to the. The first and second propellers 141, 142 can be directed upwards, the third and fourth propellers 143, 144 can be directed downwards, or the propellers can be in any other suitable orientation. Can be done. The advantage of propeller orientation shown in FIG. 1 is that all propellers can be substantially coplanar despite the vertical offset between the first support member 111 and the second support member 112. (Simplifies aircraft control).

The imaging system 120 can include an optical device support 125 that is held and movable relative to the support structure 110. In some embodiments, the optical device support 125 holds the imaging device. Although the optical device support 125 can be referred to as an image pickup device support in the present specification, it can support an optical device other than the image pickup device. In a typical embodiment, the optical or imaging device support 125 is coupled to the gimbal support 126 via a gimbal joint, and the gimbal joint is aligned with the pitch direction PD (eg, pitch axis PA or pitch axis). Allows range of motion (around the axis parallel to the PA) and in the roll direction RD (eg, on the same line with the roll axis RA or around the axis parallel to the roll axis RA). The movement of the optical or imaging device support 125 in the pitch direction PD is (a) the imaging device support 125 and (b) the gimbal structure 126 (or another element of the UAV 100 to which the imaging device support 125 is coupled). It can be limited by the range of motion of the gimbal joint between and. The range of motion in the roll direction RD can be limited by the position of the first propeller support member 111. The optical or imaging device support 125 cannot have yaw rotation capability, instead yaw rotation capability is provided by yawing the UAV 100.

The optical or imaging device support 125 holds one or more optical devices, for example, imaging devices such as a first imaging device 121 and a second imaging device 122. Each of the imaging devices 121, 122 may have an opening 123 through which the imaging device has access to the surrounding environment. Therefore, each image pickup device 121, 122 has a corresponding field of view 131, 132. The two fields of view 131, 132 overlap at a predetermined distance in front of the imaging devices 121, 122 to provide stereoscopic imaging. More specifically, due to the lateral offset between the two imaging devices 121, 122, the images taken by each imaging device 121, 122 at a given time point are slightly different. This difference can be used to give depth to the composite image. The imaging devices 121, 122 can capture still and / or video images in the visible spectrum and / or another spectrum (eg, infrared spectrum and / or ultraviolet spectrum).

As shown in FIG. 1, the first propeller 141 circumscribes and occupies the first propeller disk 161 when rotating. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 1, the two fields of view 131 and 132 of the corresponding imaging devices 121 and 122 do not overlap the first propeller disc 161 and are in front of the first propeller disc 161 (FIG. 1). Can't see) only overlap each other. As a result, the first and second imaging devices 121, 122 can provide an effective stereoscopic image without the image including the first propeller 141. Also, the UAV 100 has two fields of view 131, 132 with some other element of the UAV 100, such as the support structure 110, other elements of the propulsion system 140, the control module 180, the gimbal module 126, and other optics or non-optics. It can also be configured so that it does not overlap with the optical device. The constant (otherwise known) spacing between the first and second imaging devices 121, 122 does not significantly increase the moment of inertia of the UAV 100 around the yaw axis YA and / or the roll axis RA. Enables accurate stereoscopic image generation. Therefore, the UAV 100 can still be controlled and operated at high speed and effectively. Further, the image pickup device support 125 and the first and second image pickup devices 121 and 122 can be arranged relatively close to the center of gravity of the aircraft, and the center of gravity of the aircraft is the first and second propeller support members 111. It can be at or near the point where 112 intersects. As a result, it is possible to eliminate the need for a ballast for balancing the weights of the image pickup device support 125 and the image pickup devices 121 and 122. Therefore, this technique reduces the weight of the entire airframe and, as described above, reduces the effects of the imaging devices 121, 122 and the imaging device support 125 on the control and stability of the UAV 100.

In some embodiments, the UAV 100 can be specially arranged to be placed in a compact containment configuration when not in use. For example, referring to FIG. 2, the UAV 100 can be folded so that the first propeller support member 111 and the second propeller support member 112 are on substantially the same plane (eg, accommodation plane 216). The propeller can also be folded so that it fits entirely within the accommodation plane 216. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, all of the first, second, third, and fourth propellers 141, 142, 143, and 144 are folded so as to fit within the accommodation plane 216 as a whole. In order to deploy the UAV 100, the first and second propeller support members 111 and 112 are rotated with respect to each other to have the deployment configuration shown in FIG. 1, and the image pickup device support 125 is attached to the control module 180. Electrically connected, the propellers are unfolded for flight.

FIG. 3 is a more schematic diagram of the UAV 100, relating to the first propeller 141 and the corresponding first propeller disc 161 and the second, third, and fourth propellers 142, 143, and 144, respectively. The propeller disks 162, 163, and 164 are shown. FIG. 3 schematically shows the first and second fields of view 131, 132, which approach each other in front of the first propeller disc 161 and do not overlap the first propeller disc 161. The non-overlapping applies to the entire pitch PD range of the imaging support device 125 and the roll direction RD range of the imaging support device 125. A typical pitch range is 300 degrees and a typical roll range is 90 degrees. For clarity, the gimbal support 126, the control module 180, and other details of the UAV shown in FIG. 1 are not shown in FIG.

4 to 10 schematically show configurations according to some embodiments of the present technology, wherein these configurations do not create an overlap between the rotating disk of the corresponding propeller and the field of view of the image pickup apparatus. It also includes a stereoscopic imager located behind (rear) two or more propellers. 4 to 10 are arranged graphically by the method of FIG. 3 so as to more clearly show the different features between the configurations. In at least a portion of each drawing, the orientation of the UAV may appear as if the UAV had the field of view of the imaging device overlapping the forward rotating disk, but this simply depends on the viewing angle of the UAV. The graphical diagrams of FIGS. 4-10 are shown for ease of explanation. Each of the embodiments shown in these figures has an overall configuration similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but may include different propeller and / or camera configurations.

First, in FIG. 4, a typical UAV 400 includes a support structure 110 having corresponding first and second propeller supports 111, 112 arranged in an "X" configuration. Therefore, the roll axis RA coincides with the forward flight FD, but does not coincide with the first propeller support 111 or the second propeller support 112. The corresponding image pickup device support 425 rotates in the roll direction RD (on the same straight line as the roll axis RA or around the axis parallel to the roll axis RA) and in the pitch direction PD (on the same straight line as the pitch axis PA or on the pitch axis). It is arranged laterally with respect to the roll axis RA so as to rotate (around a line parallel to the PA). With this arrangement, both the first rotating disk 161 and the third rotating disk 163 are arranged in front of the first and second image pickup devices 121 and 122 and the image pickup device support 425. Therefore, the first and second image pickup devices 121 and 122 are taken from the roll axis RA along the image pickup device support 425 so as to avoid overlapping of the corresponding fields of view 131 and 132 and the rotating disks 161 and 163. And can be placed further apart than the configuration shown in FIG. The advantage of this arrangement is that the larger distance between the first and second imaging devices 121, 122 increases the fidelity of the resulting stereoscopic image. A potential drawback of this arrangement is that the imager support 425 becomes longer, which increases the weight and the moment of inertia generated by the imager support and the first and second imagers 121, 122. be. Large moments of inertia can slow response times and / or impair the operating characteristics of the UAV400. However, depending on the particular usage scenario, high stereoscopic fidelity can well compensate for the slow response time.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the UAV 500 including a plurality of propellers and corresponding rotating disks arranged in front of the first and second image pickup devices 121, 122 but along an axis aligned with the roll axis RA. Is. In particular, the UAV500 may include two first propellers and corresponding rotating discs 161a, 161b, and two second propellers and rotating discs 162a, 162b for thrust and weight balance. The first and second imaging devices 122 and 122 are arranged so that the first and second visual fields 131 and 132 do not overlap with either of the two first rotating disks 161a and 161b.

FIG. 6 shows a typical UAV 600 having a double quadcopter configuration according to a typical embodiment of the present technology. Therefore, the UAV600 has two coaxial first rotating disks 161a, 161b, two coaxial second rotating disks 162a, 162b, two coaxial third rotating disks 163a, 163b, and two coaxial first rotating disks. A propeller circumscribing the rotating disks 164a and 164b of No. 4 is included. The corresponding imaging device support 625 can have substantially the same configuration as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, with a spacing between the imaging devices 122, 122 and / or pitch direction PD and / or pitch direction PD and /. Alternatively, the range of motion in the roll direction RD is adjusted in consideration of the large volume formed by the two combined first rotating disks 161a, 161b.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a typical UAV 700 in which the image pickup device support 725 is arranged directly above the second propeller support 112 along the yaw axis YA. Therefore, the three propellers and the corresponding rotating discs are at least partially located in front of the first imaging device 121 and the second imaging device 122. The three rotating disks include a first rotating disk 161 and a third rotating disk 163, and a fourth rotating disk 164. The advantage of this arrangement is that the imaging device support 725 can be located closer to the UAV center of gravity than the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. A potential drawback of this arrangement is that the movement of the imager support 725 in the roll direction RD may be restricted by the second propeller support 112. Further, the movement of the optical or imaging device support 725 in the pitch direction PD includes the first and second fields of view 131 and 132, the third and fourth rotating disks 163 and 164, and the second propeller support 112. It can also be restricted to avoid overlapping between. This potential drawback is that the first imaging device 121 is arranged such that the first field of view 131 extends between the third rotating disk 163 and the first rotating disk 161 without overlapping either. The field of view 132 of 2 can be reduced by arranging the second image pickup apparatus 122 so as to be positioned between the first rotating disk 161 and the fourth rotating disk 164 so as not to overlap with each other. However, overlap with the second propeller support 112 may still exist.

FIG. 8 schematically shows another typical UAV800 with a hexacopter configuration. Therefore, the UAV 800 has a third propeller support that holds a propeller circumscribing the fifth rotating disk 865 and the sixth rotating disk 866, in addition to substantially the same features as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. Body 813 can be included. In aspects of this embodiment, the first propeller support 111 is oriented along the roll axis RA, and the second and third propeller supports 112, 813 are between adjacent propeller support segments 60. It is arranged at an acute angle with respect to the first propeller support 111 in order to form a uniform and symmetrical hexagonal shape at an angle of degree. In other configurations, these angles can be different. In general, the corresponding imaging device support 825 can be arranged laterally with respect to the roll axis RA, with the corresponding first and second visual fields 131, 132 being the first rotating discs 161 and third. The first and second image pickup devices 122 and 122 can be held so as not to overlap with the rotating disk 163 or the sixth rotating disk 866.

FIG. 9 shows a UAV 900 having a hexagonal configuration according to an embodiment of the present technology. In the hexagonal configuration, the third propeller support 913 is aligned along the yaw axis YA, and the corresponding propeller has the yaw axis YA. Produces crossing (eg, vertical), fifth and sixth rotating discs 965,966. The corresponding image pickup support device 925 can hold the first and second image pickup devices 122 and 122 by the method shown in FIG. 9 which is substantially the same as the method described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, and the first image pickup support device 925 can hold the first and second image pickup devices 122 and 122. Adjustments are made according to the relative size of the rotating disk 161. In particular, the first rotating disk 161 can be smaller than the first rotating disk 161 shown in FIG. 3 (eg, with the addition of propellers that provide the fifth and sixth rotating disks 965,966). Can magnify the first and second fields of view 131, 132 and / or reduce the distance between the first imaging device 121 and the second imaging device 122.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a UAV 1000 having an octocopter configuration according to some embodiments of the present technology. Therefore, the support structure 110 is arranged by the first and second propeller supports 111, 112 having a cross structure, and similarly in a cross structure, and is provided by the first and second propeller supports 111, 112. Third and fourth propeller supports 1013, 1014 offset from the cross configuration (eg, 45 degrees) can be included. The resulting rotating discs include first to fourth rotating discs 161-164, and fifth to eighth rotating discs 1065-168. The corresponding image pickup device support 1025 can be arranged laterally with respect to the roll axis RA as shown in FIG. 10, and the corresponding image pickup device fields of view 131 and 132 are the first rotating disks 161 and the fifth. It is arranged so as not to overlap the rotary disk 1065 or the eighth rotary disk 1068.

As mentioned above, one feature of some embodiments described herein is that at least a pair of stereoscopic imaging devices can be placed behind at least one propeller. The advantage of this arrangement is that the imager can be placed closer to the UAV center of gravity without the propeller affecting the image captured by the imager. In particular, the position of the imager in front of one or more rear propellers reduces or eliminates the possibility that these propellers will affect the captured image. At the same time, the spacing between the stereoscopic imaging devices can allow the visual fields of the imaging devices to overlap (and thus facilitate stereoscopic imaging), but still overlap only in front of one or more anterior propellers. can. In any of these embodiments, the fidelity and depth resolution provided by the stereoscopic imaging device can allow the UAV to accurately position itself with respect to objects in its environment. This accurately identifies defects, damage, and / or other problems that may be small but still have a significant negative impact on the performance of the inspected equipment (in some applications). It will be particularly useful for inspecting wind turbines, high voltage electric towers, cell phone towers, and / or other equipment with sufficient accuracy to correct).

In some other features of the typical configuration described above, the stereoscopic imager can have a wide range of motion, in particular propellers of all forward-looking, upward-looking, and downward-looking stereoscopic images. Can be provided without interfering with. This is different from common existing configurations, where existing configurations cannot provide such a wide range of imaging angles and / or result in images hampered by UAV propellers and / Or, it is not possible to generate a stereoscopic image.

As mentioned above, some of the above configurations are capable of producing high resolution images. In addition, such images can be generated without the need to be so close to the imaging device that there is a risk of UAV collisions. In certain embodiments, 200 micron features can be resolved from a distance of 3 to 5 meters, depending on the fixed position of the paired stereoscopic imager and the distance between them. In a typical configuration, the propeller diameter is 17 inches, the first and second imagers are separated by 32.5 inches, and the imager support is 12 inches in front of the second propeller support member. Is placed in. The aforementioned dimensions can be adjusted for various aircraft sizes, shapes, configurations, and / or purposes.

From the above, although the specific embodiments of the disclosed technique are described herein for illustrative purposes, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the present technique. For example, optics can include imaging devices and / or other optics that can facilitate other image acquisition (or other work) and benefit from a clear field of view. Typical devices include rangers, projectors, and / or active irradiators. In some embodiments, the propellers can be electric or driven by other engine or motor types. The UAV can include a number of propellers other than those expressly indicated and described herein (eg, 12, 16, 32, and / or other propeller numbers), in which respect the propeller disc is held by the UAV. Does not overlap with the associated field of view of the optical device

The imaging support member can support not only the imaging device but also any suitable type of optical device, which can be connected to the gimbal support 126 as shown in FIG. 1 or a UAV containing some element of the support structure 110. Can be linked to any element of. In some of the above configurations, the imaging device support is pivotable with respect to the UAV. In some configurations, such as high precision configurations with a limited field of view, the imaging device support can be fixed. In some embodiments, the imaging device support is not pivotable with respect to the UAV on any axis that is in line with the yaw axis or parallel to the yaw axis. In other embodiments, the imaging device support can rotate in the yaw direction. In other embodiments, the imaging device support can rotate around different axes or combinations of axes. The image pickup device can generate any of a plurality of suitable image formats and measures any of the multiple suitable characteristics in the environment in which the image pickup device operates and / or an object to be imaged by the image pickup device. Can be done. In some of the illustrated configurations, the imaging device support holds a single pair of imaging devices. In other typical configurations, each imaging device can be replaced with a plurality of imaging device sets. In another typical configuration, the UAV can hold multiple imaging device supports.

Certain aspects of the technique described in the context of certain embodiments may be combined or excluded in other embodiments. For example, any configuration may include other devices (eg, grippers or operating tools) in addition to the elements described above. Any configuration may include or exclude the lighting rod shown in FIG. Further, the advantages associated with a particular embodiment of the disclosed technology are described in the context of those embodiments, but other embodiments may similarly exhibit such advantages and all embodiments. The form does not necessarily have to exhibit such advantages to be within the scope of the present technology. Accordingly, the present disclosure and related techniques may include other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein.

As used herein, the phrase "and / or", such as "A and / or B," means A only, B only, and A and B. This disclosure is limited to the extent of any content incorporated herein by reference.

Typical embodiments of the present technology will be further described below.

Example 1. A first propeller support member that extends along the aircraft roll axis and holds the first and second propellers separated.
Extends along the aircraft pitch axis and is attached to the extended first propeller support member between the first and second propellers in a cross configuration to hold the separated third and fourth propellers. The second propeller support member and
A gimbal support held by at least one of the extended propeller support members and
A camera support that extends between the first and second ends,
With
The camera support is arranged behind the first propeller and in front of the second, third, and fourth propellers, and the camera support is coupled to the gimbal support to form the gimbal support. The camera support can be pivoted in the pitch direction and the roll direction with respect to the above.
A first camera having a first field of view and located towards the first end,
A second camera having a second field of view and located towards the second end,
Hold,
The first propeller is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is located in front of the first and second cameras and between the first and second cameras and has a rotating disk that does not overlap the first and second fields of view. ..
2. The camera support is removable from the gimbal support, and the first support member, the second support member, and the gimbal support are pivotally coupled to each other.
A housing configuration in which the first support member, the second support member, and the gimbal support are arranged in the same plane, and
A deployment configuration in which the second support member is arranged across the first support member and the gimbal support, and
The system described in Clause 1, which is movable between.
3. 3. The system according to clause 1, wherein the first camera is one of a plurality of cameras arranged towards the first end of the camera support.
4. Support structures oriented with respect to the aircraft roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis,
With the plurality of propellers held by the support structure,
The first and second optical devices held by the support structure,
With
The first optical device has a first field of view, and the second optical device has a second field of view.
At least one of the plurality of propellers is arranged in front of the first and second optical devices and between the first and second optical devices, and does not overlap the first and second visual fields. An unmanned aerial vehicle system with rotating discs.
5. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the first and second optics are pivotable with respect to the support structure.
6. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the first and second optics are fixed to the support structure.
7. The support structure includes a first propeller support member that holds the first plurality of propellers and a second propeller support member that holds the second plurality of propellers, and the first and second propellers. The system according to clause 4, wherein the support members overlap.
8. The system according to Clause 7, wherein the first and second propeller support members form a cross.
9. The system according to clause 4, wherein the only single propeller is located in front of the first and second optics and between the first and second optics.
10. The system according to clause 4, wherein the first and second optics are not pivotable around any axis parallel to the yaw axis.
11. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the at least one propeller is rotatable about an axis of rotation with respect to the support structure, the axis of rotation being located in front of the first and second optics. ..
12. 11. The system of clause 11, wherein the axis of rotation is located in front of a first opening of the first optical device and a second opening of the second optical device.
13. The system according to clause 4, further comprising a control module held by the support structure and operably connected to the plurality of propellers to control the plurality of propellers.
14. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the first and second optics are pivotable in the pitch and roll directions with respect to the support structure.
15. The system according to Article 4, wherein the first and second optical devices are held by an image pickup device support, and the image pickup device can be pivoted in the pitch direction and the roll direction with respect to the support structure.
16. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the first and second imaging devices include first and second cameras.
17. The system according to clause 16, wherein the first and second cameras operate in the visible spectrum.
18. The system according to Article 16, wherein the first and second cameras operate in the infrared spectrum.
19. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the propellers are arranged in a quadcopter configuration.
20. 19 The system of clause 19, wherein the propellers are coplanar and coupled to corresponding motors, two of which are opposite to the other two motors.
21. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the propellers are arranged in a hexacopter configuration.
22. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the propeller is arranged in an octocopter configuration.
23. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the stereoscopic imaging apparatus is connected to a processor to generate a stereoscopic image.
24. The system according to clause 23, wherein the processor is held by the support structure.
25. The system according to clause 23, wherein the processor is outside the support structure.
26. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the first and second optics are rotatable such that the first and second fields of view are directed downward with respect to a plane including the pitch axis and the roll axis. ..
27. The system according to Clause 4, wherein the first and / or second optics include a rangefinder, a projector, and / or an active illuminator.
28. The first optical device is one of the plurality of cameras on the right side of the support structure, and the second optical device is one of the plurality of cameras on the left side of the support structure. The system described in Clause 4, which is one of the above.
29. Support structures oriented with respect to the aircraft roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis,
With the plurality of propellers held by the support structure,
The first and second optical devices held by the support structure, the first optical device has a first field of view and a first movable range, and the second optical device is It has a second field of view and a second range of motion, and at least one of the plurality of propellers has a rotating disk, in front of the first and second optics and in the first and second optics. The first and second optics, which are arranged between the optics of
The controller with the programmed instructions and
With
When the above program is executed,
Receives the input corresponding to the requested optic orientation
In response to the above input
The first optical device is directed to some possible position within the first range of motion without the first field of view overlapping the rotating disk.
The second optical device is directed to some possible position within the second range of motion without the second field of view overlapping the rotating disk.
Unmanned aerial vehicle system that has become.
30. The support structure includes a first plurality of propeller support members that hold the first plurality of propellers, and a second plurality of support members that hold the second plurality of support members. The system according to clause 29, wherein the second propeller support member overlaps.
31. 29. The system of clause 29, wherein the first and second optical devices, the first and second optics, are not pivotable around any axis parallel to the yaw axis.
32. 29. The system of Clause 29, wherein the first and second optics are held by an image pickup device support, which is pivotable with respect to the support structure in the pitch and roll directions.

100 UAV
101 Lighting rod 110 Support structure 111 Propeller support member 112 Propeller support member 115 Propeller support member 120 Imaging system 121 Imaging device 122 Imaging device 123 Opening 125 Optical device support 126 Gimbal support 131 Viewpoint 132 Viewpoint 140 Propeller system 141 Propeller 142 Propeller 143 Propeller 144 Propeller 161 Propeller disk 180 In-flight control module 181 External control module 182 Control device

Claims (32)

A first propeller support member that extends along the aircraft roll axis and holds the first and second propellers separated.
Extends along the aircraft pitch axis and is attached to the extended first propeller support member between the first and second propellers in a cross configuration to hold the separated third and fourth propellers. The second propeller support member and
A gimbal support held by at least one of the extended propeller support members and
A camera support that extends between the first and second ends,
With
The camera support is arranged behind the first propeller and in front of the second, third, and fourth propellers, and the camera support is coupled to the gimbal support to form the gimbal support. The camera support can be pivoted in the pitch direction and the roll direction with respect to the camera support.
A first camera having a first field of view and located towards the first end,
A second camera having a second field of view and located towards the second end,
Hold,
The first propeller is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is located in front of the first and second cameras and between the first and second cameras and has a rotating disk that does not overlap the first and second fields of view. .. The camera support is removable from the gimbal support, and the first support member, the second support member, and the gimbal support are pivotally coupled.
A housing configuration in which the first support member, the second support member, and the gimbal support are arranged in the same plane, and
A deployment configuration in which the second support member is arranged across the first support member and the gimbal support.
The system of claim 1, which is movable between. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first camera is one of a plurality of cameras arranged toward the first end of the camera support. Support structures oriented with respect to the aircraft roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis,
With the plurality of propellers held by the support structure,
The first and second optical devices held by the support structure,
With
The first optical device has a first field of view, and the second optical device has a second field of view.
At least one of the plurality of propellers is arranged in front of the first and second optical devices and between the first and second optical devices and does not overlap the first and second visual fields. An unmanned aerial vehicle system with rotating discs. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second optical devices are pivotable with respect to the support structure. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second optical devices are fixed to the support structure. The support structure includes a first propeller support member that holds the first plurality of propellers and a second propeller support member that holds the second plurality of support members, and the first and second propellers. The system according to claim 4, wherein the propeller support members overlap. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first and second propeller support members form a cross. The system of claim 4, wherein the only single propeller is located in front of the first and second optics and between the first and second optics. The system of claim 4, wherein the first and second optics are not pivotable around any axis parallel to the yaw axis. 4. The fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the at least one propeller is rotatable about a rotation axis with respect to the support structure, and the rotation axis is arranged in front of the first and second optical devices. system. 11. The system of claim 11, wherein the rotating shaft is located in front of a first opening of the first optical device and a second opening of the second optical device. The system of claim 4, further comprising a control module held by the support structure and operably connected to the plurality of propellers to control the plurality of propellers. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second optical devices can be pivoted with respect to the support structure in the pitch direction and the roll direction. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second optical devices are held by an image pickup device support, and the image pickup device can be pivoted with respect to the support structure in the pitch direction and the roll direction. .. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second imaging devices include first and second cameras. 16. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second cameras operate in the visible spectrum. 16. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second cameras operate in the infrared spectrum. The system according to claim 4, wherein the propellers are arranged in a quadcopter configuration. 19. The system of claim 19, wherein the propellers are coplanar and coupled to corresponding motors, two of which are opposite to the other two motors. The system according to claim 4, wherein the propellers are arranged in a hexacopter configuration. The system according to claim 4, wherein the propellers are arranged in an octocopter configuration. The system according to claim 4, wherein the stereoscopic imaging device is connected to a processor to generate a stereoscopic image. 23. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is held by the support structure. 23. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is outside the support structure. The fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein the first and second optical devices are rotatable so as to direct the first and second visual fields downward with respect to a plane including the pitch axis and the roll axis. system. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first and / or second optical device includes a range finder, a projector, and / or an active irradiator. The first optical device is one of a plurality of cameras on the right side of the support structure, and the second optical device is one of a plurality of cameras on the left side of the support structure. The system according to claim 4, which is one of the above. Support structures oriented with respect to the aircraft roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis,
With the plurality of propellers held by the support structure,
The first and second optical devices held by the support structure, the first optical device has a first field of view and a first movable range, and the second optical device is a second optical device. It has a second field of view and a second range of motion, and at least one of the plurality of propellers has a rotating disk, in front of the first and second optics and in the first and second optics. The first and second optics, which are arranged between the optics of
The controller with the programmed instructions and
With
When the program is executed,
Receives the input corresponding to the requested optic orientation
In response to the input
The first optical device is directed to some possible position within the first range of motion without the first field of view overlapping the rotating disk.
The second optical device is directed to some possible position within the second range of motion without the second field of view overlapping the rotating disk.
Unmanned aerial vehicle system that has become. The support structure includes a first plurality of support members for holding the first plurality of propellers and a second plurality of support members for holding the second plurality of support members, and the first and first support members. 29. The system of claim 29, wherein the propeller support members of 2 overlap. 29. The system of claim 29, wherein the first and second optics are not pivotable around any axis parallel to the yaw axis. 29. The system of claim 29, wherein the first and second optics are held by an imaging device support, and the imaging device is pivotable with respect to the support structure in the pitch and roll directions. ..

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